Global Standing - Japan

Stand. Relax. Breathe.

Grandmaster Fu Wei Zhong (Boston 2014)

 Emei Linji Qigong Seminar: 'Heaven & Earth Forms'

Qigong Workshop at ZS Associates

ZSpace article on ZS Qigong session

 

If you have watched the computer-animated action comedy martial arts film called Kung Fu Panda, you have probably heard of Qi (pronounced “CHEE”) and how Master Shifu uses “Qi” to create nerve-based attacks, heal living beings and grow flora. Just this past week, ZSers at San Francisco office had the firsthand opportunity to practice, cultivate and balance Qi at the Qigong wellness session led by our own ZS manager, David Weingest.

With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, Qigong (simplified Chinese: 气功) is an internal Chinese meditative exercise which uses slow graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques to enhance a practitioner's overall health. It has more than 10,000 styles, and 200 million people practicing worldwide. It combines dynamic, static and meditation practices that resemble yoga and tai-chi.

To kick-off the Qigong session, David gave us a brief background about Qigong and how he got involved back when he was in MIT. Then, we were divided into two rows to give each other some rooms to open our arms outwards. First, David taught us the most fundamental poses with controlled breathing techniques. This was followed by a few other movements such as Low post, Turning cow, and Crane. My favorite one was the “Gathering Qi”. It is a movement where you raise your arms outward and inhale to gather Qi, and exhale as you return your arms back to dan tien (belly button) to complete one full movement cycle. In our day and day busy work life as consultants, this is such a simple internal exercise that can be done anywhere whether it is at your workstation or hotel room. After completing a few cycles of these movements to center mind and body, I could already feel the serenity yet focused concentration – so ready to take on new challenges, presentations and meetings!

We ended the session with a series of “washing” movements, which is said to have the effect to clean up the mind and wash the marrow. First we rubbed our hands together (to build a little friction and warmth) and washed our face 3 times. This is followed by rubbing (wash) your hands and patting the top and sides of your head from front to back (also 3 times). Then we did the same washing and patting steps to our legs. Lastly, David shared with us a few resources to learn more about Qigong – 1) his archived blog at http://mitqigong.blogspot.com and 2) a book by Russell Simmons on the benefits of meditation. In the end, we didn’t heal living beings or grow flora, the session was energizing and nourishing both physically and mentally!

MIT Qigong Charity event for Nepal

Nepal Charity Event - Stand-A-Thon 2015

Information:

Date: June 22, 2015

Time: 7:00-8:30

Where: Mass Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA.

Cost: Minimum Donation to Attend Session - $20.00

Donations: Any amount can be donated and is greatly appreciated!

NOTE: 100% of all donated money goes directly to the people of Nepal!

The people of Nepal need our help! MIT Qigong is teaming up with MIT Wellness & Park Ave Wellness to raise money for the people of Nepal. Most realize that the region was devastated by an earthquake and its aftershocks. Our last event raised $1200.00 for the Boston Children's Hospital and with your help I hope to raise enough money to make a positive impact on the lives of these good people. 

Grandmaster Fu demonstrating Emei Qigong

Boston Seminar, May 10th, 2014

Grandmaster Fu Wei Zhong Seminar

This weekend members from the MIT Qigong Club attended a two day seminar with Grandmaster Fu Wei Zhong. Thanks to Coach Jim Roselando for organizing such an incredible event.

Master Fu Level 1 Seminar | Boston, MA | May 2014

Fu Wei Zhong biography taken from: http://www.emeiqigong.us/lineage/lineage/fu-wei-zhong.html

 

The future envisioned by Grandmaster Ju Zan centered on a young man named Fu Wei Zhong who began his training on the day he was born in 1949. Driven by an exceptional interest in old texts, he began studying traditional Chinese medicine and reading ancient Chinese philosophies when he was only six years old. By the age of 12, Fu Wei Zhong was treating and healing people with techniques he had learned from his reading and the instruction from his grandfather, a traditional Chinese medical doctor and the emperor’s family doctor.

He began his martial arts training in Shaolin Gongfu at the age of seven. Several years later, he became a student of Luo Xing Wu, an eminent Chinese martial arts grandmaster, from whom he learned many martial arts disciplines, including Xingyi and Bagua Gongfu.

Like many other young people during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Fu Wei Zhong was sent to the northeast China Heilongjiang province. Because of his training, he was asked to work on a collective farm as a veterinarian. He was 18 years old when he arrived and opened a medical clinic. For eight years, he used traditional Chinese medicinal herbs and treatment techniques, including acupuncture and Chinese massage, to treat multitudes of sick people and animals with great success.

Fu Wei Zhong returned to Beijing in 1976 and taught martial arts at the Beijing Dongcheng District Martial Arts School for a year. He planned to take a master’s degree in religion and was looking for a renowned professor to guide him in the beginning. A friend, Liang Shu Ming, said that he would take him to meet Abbot Ju Zan, the Supreme Abbot of Chinese Buddhism and 12^th Lineage Holder of Emei Qigong.

Fu Wei Zhong had had a recurring dream since childhood of a monk who would change his life. He didn’t know who the monk was or why the images were coming to him, but when he saw the face of the Abbot he recognized him as the monk from his dreams. At their meeting, they looked at each other and the Abbot said, “Oh, you’ve finally arrived, it’s time for you to train!” as if they already knew each other.

Fu Wei Zhong was invited to join a distinguished group of men and women chosen to undergo training and a selection process for the position of 13^th layman Lineage Holder of Emei Qigong.

After six months of intensive training and testing, Fu Wei Zhong was selected by His Holiness, Grandmaster Ju Zan, to receive further instruction in Buddhism, Daoism, traditional Chinese medicine, Taijiquan, Qigong, Feng Shui, future prediction, and other Dharma methods exclusively transmitted from one Lineage Holder to another within the Emei Qigong system. During this time, Fu Wei Zhong was often in seclusion—studying, cultivating, and integrating the system’s ancient texts into practical forms and easy-to-read language that could be effectively taught to the public.

In 1984, the title of the 13^th Lineage Holder was bestowed on Fu Wei Zhong. He received the Emei Qigong sacred book “The Emei Treasured Lotus Canon” and officially assumed the title of Grandmaster as well as the responsibilities of being the Lineage Holder. Grandmaster Ju Zan directed him to begin teaching publicly, “In order to end the pain and suffering of the world and to allow Emei Qigong to bring out humanity to shine like the sun.”

In the spring of 1985, Fu Wei Zhong began teaching Emei Qigong healing techniques throughout China, thereby initiating a national revitalization of the role of Qigong in Chinese medical theory and practice. In 1989, he went into seclusion again to meditate for three years so that he could further develop Emei Qigong techniques so they could be more easily taught to the public in our fast-paced modern society. It was during this period of extended meditation that he was able to achieve the Qigong state necessary to decode the sacred Emei Qigong skills. Fu Wei Zhong was able to decipher this information and now teaches these skills in his lectures, seminars and writings.

Grandmaster Fu believes that only by training thousands of skilled Emei Qigong practitioners will it be possible to restore and preserve the health of millions. He has personally treated, healed and helped thousands of people—the rich and famous as well as orphans and patients considered incurable. China’s late president Deng Xiao Ping was among those helped by Grandmaster Fu. Using the methods of Emei Qigong cultivation, medical qigong and traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Grandmaster Fu has successfully cured tens of thousands of people who have come to him for healing.

At age 36, he was recognized as one of the most prominent grandmasters of Qigong and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Chinese have dubbed him “Emei Wizard” and “China’s Medical Buddha," as well as deeming him “The Father of Modern Medical Qigong.” In addition, Fu Wei Zhong has been made lifetime president of two Qigong institutions: The International Medical Qigong Academy and The Emei Linji International Qigong Medical Research Institute, and he holds honorary positions and titles in more than 50 hospitals, medical colleges, Qigong clinics and Qigong associations in China.

Fu Wei Zhong is a learned scholar. Having read thousands of books, both Chinese and foreign, he is well versed in the medical, philosophical and theological theories of different schools, both Eastern and Western. While studying, he took careful notes and wrote down his reflections, which number over three million words. To date, he has published six books and over twenty treatises in China.

Fu Wei Zhong immigrated to the United States in 1995. His goal was to disseminate Emei Qigong’s therapeutic techniques so that its methods could be fused with contemporary western medical techniques. His goal is to alleviate much of the suffering in today’s world. He is determined to transmit the knowledge and skills of Emei Qigong to the American public.

Since his arrival in the United States, Grandmaster Fu has given lectures and workshops in over 30 American cities. He was invited to the University of San Francisco and the University of California at San Diego to lecture on Qigong and was a visiting professor at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco, where he taught curriculum-required courses on the Emei methodology of Qi (energy) emission for diagnosis and treatment. In 1996, he participated in an experiment at the Atlantic Tumor Hospital in California that involved the emission of Qi into cancer cells. The initial positive results enabled the experiment to be taken to a bigger scale. In 2001, these encouraging results were published in the magazine, Spirituality and Health.Fu Wei Zhong also participated in an experiment conducted by the California Pacific Medical Center of Complementary Medicine Research Institute to test Qigong and other holistic modalities in the treatment of brain tumors from a distance. The Discovery Channel filmed Grandmaster Fu at theMedical Center and aired the documentary in Canada on a show called “Daily Planet.”

As of 2006, there are many thousands of Emei Qigong students in the United States and 2 million followers of Emei Qigong worldwide. What the world needs now, more than ever, is a heart-centered system like Emei Qigong to bring health, vitality and true kindness to people.

In the fall of 2006, Grandmaster Fu taught the Level IV seminar, the Emei Qigong Level I Teacher’s Training, for the first time. This month-long session was held at Emei Mountain in China, and students stayed at the Emeishan Grand Hotel at the base of the mountain during this time. The training was successful; students emerged from this intensive training with a much deeper and comprehensive undertanding of Emei Qigong, and many will continue their training to become Level I teachers. A second group of prospective Level I teachers took Level IV in 2007.

For the next few years, Grandmaster Fu will concentrate on training the monk who will become the next lineage holder inChina and the students who will become Emei Qigong Level I teachers in North America. 

Meditation changes temperatures: Mind controls body in extreme experiments

HARVARD GAZETTE ARCHIVES

By William J. Cromie 

Gazette Staff

In a monastery in northern India, thinly clad Tibetan monks sat quietly in a room where the temperature was a chilly 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a yoga technique known as g Tum-mo, they entered a state of deep meditation. Other monks soaked 3-by-6-foot sheets in cold water (49 degrees) and placed them over the meditators' shoulders. For untrained people, such frigid wrappings would produce uncontrolled shivering.

If body temperatures continue to drop under these conditions, death can result. But it was not long before steam began rising from the sheets. As a result of body heat produced by the monks during meditation, the sheets dried in about an hour.

Attendants removed the sheets, then covered the meditators with a second chilled, wet wrapping. Each monk was required to dry three sheets over a period of several hours.

Why would anyone do this? Herbert Benson, who has been studying g Tum-mo for 20 years, answers that "Buddhists feel the reality we live in is not the ultimate one. There's another reality we can tap into that's unaffected by our emotions, by our everyday world. Buddhists believe this state of mind can be achieved by doing good for others and by meditation. The heat they generate during the process is just a by-product of g Tum-mo meditation."

Benson is an associate professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School and president of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He firmly believes that studying advanced forms of meditation "can uncover capacities that will help us to better treat stress-related illnesses."

Benson developed the "relaxation response," which he describes as "a physiological state opposite to stress." It is characterized by decreases in metabolism, breathing rate, heart rate, and blood pressure. He and others have amassed evidence that it can help those suffering from illnesses caused or exacerbated by stress. Benson and colleagues use it to treat anxiety, mild and moderate depression, high blood pressure, heartbeat irregularities, excessive anger, insomnia, and even infertility. His team also uses this type of simple meditation to calm those who have been traumatized by the deaths of others, or by diagnoses of cancer or other painful, life-threatening illnesses.

"More than 60 percent of visits to physicians in the United States are due to stress-related problems, most of which are poorly treated by drugs, surgery, or other medical procedures," Benson maintains.

The Mind/Body Medical Institute is now training people to use the relaxation response to help people working at Ground Zero in New York City, where two airplanes toppled the World Trade Center Towers last Sept. 11. Facilities have been set up at nearby St. Paul's Chapel to aid people still working on clearing wreckage and bodies. Anyone else who feels stressed by those terrible events can also obtain help at the chapel. "We are training the trainers who work there," Benson says.

The relaxation response involves repeating a word, sound, phrase, or short prayer while disregarding intrusive thoughts. "If such an easy-to-master practice can bring about the remarkable changes we observe," Benson notes. "I want to investigate what advanced forms of meditation can do to help the mind control physical processes once thought to be uncontrollable."

Breathtaking results

Some Westerners practice g Tum-mo, but it often takes years to reach states like those achieved by Buddhist monks. In trying to find groups he could study, Benson met Westerners who claimed to have mastered such advanced techniques, but who were, in his words, "fraudulent."

Benson decided that he needed to locate a religious setting, where advanced mediation is traditionally practiced. His opportunity came in 1979 when the Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibet, visited Harvard University. "His Holiness agreed to help me," recalls Benson. That visit was the beginning of a long friendship and several expeditions to northern India where many Tibetan monks live in exile.

During visits to remote monasteries in the 1980s, Benson and his team studied monks living in the Himalayan Mountains who could, by g Tum-mo meditation, raise the temperatures of their fingers and toes by as much as 17 degrees. It has yet to be determined how the monks are able to generate such heat.

The researchers also made measurements on practitioners of other forms of advanced meditation in Sikkim, India. They were astonished to find that these monks could lower their metabolism by 64 percent. "It was an astounding, breathtaking [no pun intended] result," Benson exclaims.

To put that decrease in perspective, metabolism, or oxygen consumption, drops only 10-15 percent in sleep and about 17 percent during simple meditation. Benson believes that such a capability could be useful for space travel. Travelers might use meditation to ease stress and oxygen consumption on long flights to other planets.

In 1985, the meditation team made a video of monks drying cold, wet sheets with body heat. They also documented monks spending a winter night on a rocky ledge 15,000 feet high in the Himalayas. The sleep-out took place in February on the night of the winter full moon when temperatures reached zero degrees F. Wearing only woolen or cotton shawls, the monks promptly fell asleep on the rocky ledge, They did not huddle together and the video shows no evidence of shivering. They slept until dawn then walked back to their monastery.

Overcoming obstacles

Working in isolated monasteries in the foothills of the Himalayas proved extremely difficult. Some religious leaders keep their meditative procedures a closely guarded secret. Medical measuring devices require electrical power and wall outlets are not always available. In addition, trying to meditate while strangers attempt to measure your rectal temperature is not something most monks are happy to do.

To avoid these problems, Instructor in Psychology Sara Lazar, a Benson colleague, used functional magnetic resonance imaging to scan the brains of meditators at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The subjects were males, aged 22-45, who had practiced a form of advanced mediation called Kundalini daily for at least four years. In these experiments, the obstacles of cold and isolation were replaced by the difficulties of trying to meditate in a cramped, noisy machine. However, the results, published in the May 15, 2000, issue of the journal NeuroReport, turned out to be significant.

"Lazar found a marked decrease in blood flow to the entire brain," Benson explains. "At the same time, certain areas of the brain became more active, specifically those that control attention and autonomic functions like blood pressure and metabolism. In short, she showed the value of using this method to record changes in the brain's activity during meditation."

The biggest obstruction in further studies, whether in India or Boston, has always been money. Research proceeded slowly and intermittently until February 2001, when Benson's team received a $1.25 million grant from Loel Guinness, via the beer magnate's Kalpa Foundation, established to study extraordinary human capacities.

The funds enabled researchers to bring three monks experienced in g Tum-mo to a Guinness estate in Normandy, France, last July. The monks then practiced for 100 days to reach their full meditative capacity. An eye infection sidelined one of the monks, but the other two proved able to dry frigid, wet sheets while wearing sensors that recorded changes in heat production and metabolism.

Although the team obtained valuable data, Benson concludes that "the room was not cold enough to do the tests properly." His team will try again this coming winter with six monks. They will start practice in late summer and should be ready during the coldest part of winter.

Benson feels sure these attempts to understand advanced mediation will lead to better treatments for stress-related illnesses. "My hope," he says, "is that self-care will stand equal with medical drugs, surgery, and other therapies that are now used to alleviate mental and physical suffering. Along with nutrition and exercise, mind/body approaches can be part of self-care practices that could save millions of dollars annually in medical costs."

Warriors of Stillness 3: Masters of Perception

Over the next weeks, we will be sharing short excerpts from Jan Diepersloot's Warriors of Stillness III. The book can be purchased from: http://warriorsofstillness.com We highly recommend all three books in the series and they can be purchased together as a Trilogy Set for $75 - a great deal. Enjoy!

The primary principles internal martial artists follow to cultivate robust health in the qi state are proper posture, proper breath and proper mindset. In the internal martial arts, the rules of posture are governed by the pivotal concept of zhongding, or central equilibrium, and consist of the optimal re-alignment of the spine in the vertical plane. 

Within this proper postural framework, internal martial artists utilize mindful breathing practices to transform typical (and usually restricted) breathing patterns into full and free natural breathing. As this process unfolds over time, the tensions that stiffen and harden us, both physically and mentally, progressively dissolve. The resulting state of relaxation is called song by the Chinese, and denotes a state of alert relaxation that is ready for immediate action. 

Proper breath and proper posture create the foundation for optimally efficient movement of torso and limbs. The rules for movement, like posture, also are dictated by the constraints of central equilibrium. The fundamental components, or basic grammar, of movement are the horizontal, vertical and rotational movements of the body's central vertical axis in space. These three elemental movements combine to create an infinite number of possible movements. 

Interview with Coach Jim Roselando

Interview with Coach Jim Roselando on MIT Radio: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pQaDv8i_Y4

"Qi is a form of energy. Gong means work. So Qigong is a form of energy cultivation. Through still exercise you can cultivate balance and smooth the energy through the whole body. The Dan Tien will be robust, the meridians will be flowing smoothly, which will gradually realign the body. You can stand and be still and cultivate the mind, the body, the breathing, just by relaxing." 

MIT Qigong & Health Yoga Life Special Event

MIT Qigong Club Special Event!

web.mit.edu/qigong

***

MIT Qigong & Health Yoga Life

An Evening Of Holistic Health

"Two Arts-Two Instructors"

Qigong: Jim Roselando

Yoga: Vyda Bielkus

***

When: 9/30/13 (Monday)

{ONLY ONE WEEK AWAY}

Time: 7:00-8:30

Cost: FREE

Where: MIT Kresge Auditorium 

{77 Mass Ave}

"Little Theatre"

  

     Come train with two of the Boston areas most noted instructors for an evening of holistic health @ MIT.  This seminar will focus on the art of health cultivation from two different systems. Chinese Qigong & India's Yoga.  Both are excellent methods of promoting physical and mental well-being.  Each instructor will coach the participants thru a forty minute training session leaving time at the end to meet and speak with Vyda & Jim! 

For More info:

info@apricotforesthall.com

Harvard Business School Event:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k6x0vjT3WA

Full Moon Qigong Event Video:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9G4KOO_Wdk

Help the world enjoy Natural Standing Meditation!

MIT Qigong Club 

Standing strong in Cambridge, Massachusetts for nearly 5 years

Thank you to everyone who has joined us in heath cultivation on a Monday night.

Many thanks to Coach Jim Roselando Jr. for freely sharing this amazing art with anyone and everyone!

We would love to hear from all of you.

A simple click of "like", "+1" or  even better, a review of your experience is enough to spread this

wonderful art to people around the world who seek it but may not be able to find it.

A little bit of effort is enough to make it all effortless.


Review the club on Yelp.com: http://www.yelp.com/biz/mit-qigong-club-cambridge

Like the club on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mitqigong

Follow the club on Twitter: https://twitter.com/qigongmit

Like the club videos on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/mitqigong

or +1 the club Blog HERE at: http://mitqigong.blogspot.com

Stand, Relax, and Breathe.

Share your health cultivation.

Many thanks!

Email: qi@mit.edu

http://www.apricotforesthall.com

http://www.clinic-eight.com

http://web.mit.edu/qigong

New Research - Qi Gong Lowers Blood Pressure

Shin, Kyung-Min, Ji-Eun Park, Sanghoon Hong, Taeseob Park, Minhee Lee, Yan Liu, Jung-Eun Kim et al. "568 A Randomized Controlled Trial for the Use of Qigong in the Treatment of Pre and Mild Essential Hypertension." Journal of Hypertension 30 (2012): e167.

Qi Gong encompasses many styles and forms within each style, many of which are traditionally used to benefit specific bodily systems. The researchers concluded that Qi Gong is safe and has a “positive effect on blood pressure and health status in pre and mild hypertension patients.” Based on these findings, the researchers suggest additional research to further explore the medical benefits of Qi Gong with a larger sample size of participants.

A total of 40 participants were randomized into a control group and a Qi Gong group. The Qi Gong group practiced the forms for a total of 5 times per week for a total of 8 weeks. Blood pressure reductions occurred in the Qi Gong group and not in the control group. Systolic blood pressure reduced significantly. Diastolic blood pressure was unaffected.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is comprised of five major branches: movement arts, acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietetics, bone medicine. Qi Gong and other arts such as Tai Chi are part of the movement arts division of TCM including other forms of breathing and meditation exercises. Most forms of Qi Gong involve meditation, synchronous breathing and physical exercise.

http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/792-qigongbp

Words of Wisdom passed on from Coach Jim Roselando

Qigong

One day I randomly stopped by coach Jim’s house to see if he wants to practice wing chun. His friend was visiting, and he lead a qigong session instead. That was the first time I’ve experienced energy. I went home and started my qigong journey. Dec 14, 2008… my second birthday.

Being a beginner at the time, I made many mistakes testing out different techniques, which ended up setting me back and causing injury. At one point, I practiced techniques to open my arm meridians, and I couldn’t shake hands with sick people without their sickness coming into me. My hand turned purple and my teacher spent the whole night fixing me.

Coach Jim sent me this from the Qigong bible to keep me on track:

Three extremely important key points for Qigong. one must not violate these, or else it is a disaster.

1. When the mind is quiet, the Spirit will be settled. When the Spirit is settled, the Qi will grow itself to full. When the Qi is full, the Blood circulation will be strong, thus both Qi and Blood will flow smoothly. This is how to grow the Qi.

2. Blood and Qi have their own natural path and flow smoothly. One must never interrupt the natural flow of Blood and Qi. What one can do is to help remove the obstructions and let the Blood and Qi naturally develop and expand. This is how to lead the free flow of Qi and Blood.

3. Goal and cultivation process of Qigong is to relax the physical body, quiet the mind, and let every dynamic flow be natural. Only pay attention to these three things.

Note: Any violation of the above three key points will certainly result in premature aging, weakness, disease, or internal injury.

Basic Qigong tips:

Practice everyday.
Stick to one style.
Don’t create or modify a technique.
Don’t learn qigong from a book or dvd.

Credit for this post goes to my gung fu brother and his blog: Shaking Leaf: Journey into the unknown 

Photos of Yu Yongnian, disciple of WXZ

 How Wang Xiangzhai taught me Zhan zhuang

By Yu Yongnian

Hendrik Santo Sigung speaks about and demonstrates Chinese internal art.

Santo Sigung talks about Chinese Internal Art Posture. Enjoy!

Practice to make the body balanced

From Qi Magazine - Issue 90

By Michael Tse

Sometimes we can look at the sky and wonder why it is different every single day? It is like that because it is blancing itself. We are also changing, but the change is to balance with nature, our bodies are part of nature and so they need to be in harmony with it. We cannot tell the sky what weather we want because the weather changes so that the earth can stay balanced. It is all about balance and this is the same reason we get hot, cold, sick, feel good and even feel emotional. This is also the principle of Qigong. We need to practise to make the body balanced. Moving the body in a Qigong way allows it to work things out by itself.

26 Standing at MIT tonight!

There were 26 standing with us tonight at MIT Qigong!

Warm up

10m Gathering Qi

10m Left Shi Li

10m Right Shi Li

20m Low Post

5m Leg Qi 

Seal/Wash

Sealing the Breath

From Qi Magazine - Issue 89
by Zeng Qingnan & Liu Daoqing


1. Xu (like the word “shoe”)

Mouth form:
Close the lips slightly and stick the tongue forward and roll both sides of the tongue inward slightly.

Effect:
This has a curative effect for eye trouble, the decline of liver function, poor appetite, and dizziness.

Movements:
a. Put one hand on top of the other below the navel (the Dantian acupoint), left hand under for men and right hand under for women.
b. Touch the big toes to the ground lightly, stare, produce the sound of “Xu” while contracting the abdomen and breathing out.
c. Breathe in naturally after the stale air is totally exhaled.
Do this 6 times.

Improve your immune system with small vibrations!

KEYS TO FITNESS 
by SHEILA YONEMOTO, PT

Qigong, an ancient Chinese exercise, benefits both health and longevity. It involves mind and body coordination to improve the flow of the body’s vital life force.

One simple way to improve your immune system is to improve salivation in your mouth. Doctors and dentists know that saliva helps reduce dental cavities. People with poor salivation tend to have more dental cavities and poorer immune function. Qigong exercise helps increase salivation. You will notice even more saliva afterwards.

Improving the lymphatic flow in the body also improves the immune system. The lymphatic system removes waste material. Sometimes, if there is a lot of material to remove, congestion occurs, resulting in swelling, heaviness and decreased immunity.

Using shaking machines or vibrators or jumping on trampolines can help move the lymph fluid. A simple qigong exercise involves doing mild shaking while standing and relaxing all joints in the body, including the jaw, so that when you shake, your teeth clack.

Imagine all of the water in your body, which is about 70% of your body composition, moving as a single unit, creating a tidal wave moving waste material out of the cell and driving in nutrition, including oxygen. Also imagine the various types of tissues gliding smoothly as separate units, unsticking any scar tissue that may have developed from trauma, infection or disuse.

Your fingers, shoulders, vertebrae, skin and muscles should bounce or move as a wave or flap like a flag blowing in the breeze. The action should appear graceful and flowing, with movement occurring at each separate joint. Care has to be taken to shake at an appropriate speed so you don’t hurt yourself.

From a qigong point of view, this is the only exercise I know of that benefits the hormonal or endocrine system. The endocrine system could be described as the “mobile” messenger system, versus the nervous systemm which could be described as the “landline.”

As a child, I watched my grandparents doing a Japanese exercise called nishishiki. They would shake their arms and legs while lying on their backs. My grandmother lived to 88 and my grandfather to 97. Later, a 92-year-old Japanese patient told me to shake my hands to stay healthy.

Even while playing sports, if a team member missed a point, everyone said, “Shake it off.” Shaking seems to lead to better health and performance.

What differentiates living from non-living things? Movement.

———

Qigong, Chinese energy classes. Try a no-impact qigong class. 

Sheila Yonemoto, P.T., has been a physical therapist for over 30 years, specializing in Integrative Manual Therapy utilizing a holistic approach. She can be reached at Yonemoto Physical Therapy, 55 S. Raymond Ave., Suite 100, Alhambra, CA  91801. Call (626) 576-0591 for a free consultation, or visit  www.yonemoto.com for more information. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.

Qigong Improves Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Article: Chaoyi Fanhuan Qigong and Fibromyalgia: Methodological Issues and Two Case Reports – Source: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Nov. 9, 2012. [Epub ahead of print]

By J. Sawynok, et al.

Background: Qigong, which has many forms, was recently described as "meditative movement," and represents a self-care technique that can contribute to improved health. There are challenges involved in research into qigong, including defining the amount of instruction required for threshold effects, and whether there is a relationship between amount of practice and outcomes. Recent clinical trials examining Chaoyi Fanhuan Qigong (CFQ) for fibromyalgia have used a standardized regimen of practice over an 8-week period. 

Case report: Between a pilot trial and a subsequent larger controlled trial, 2 individuals with fibromyalgia of over 20 years' duration undertook levels 1-4 CFQ training involving movements and meditation at a community-based event and then practiced regularly over a 1-year period. They subsequently both undertook further training, and consolidated their health gains. 

Both observed major reductions in pain, improvements in sleep, mood, emotions, food and other allergies, and consider their condition essentially resolved. They have ceased taking several medications and have resumed their lives. 

Results: The information provided by these individuals could not be derived from a clinical trial, as it is unlikely people would commit to this amount of practice. 

Conclusions: The case study approach provides data with respect to extent of practice, perseverance and long-term outcomes, and provides valuable insight into the potential of this self-care practice.

Source: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Nov. 9, 2012. [Epub ahead of print] By Jane Sawynok, Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada;  Chok Hiew, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; Dana Marcon, Personal Training Clinic, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.  Contact: jana.sawynok@dal.ca